Gao Clans Residence—At Night—Inside Gao Tian Room
The room was quiet once more.
Gao Tian sat cross-legged on the bed, his eyes closed in meditation. His breathing was slow, steady, but his mind churned like a storm.
He began recalling the ancient techniques from his past life.
Five Devil Sutra… too forceful for this fragile body.
Heavenly Sutra… needs perfect meridians. Useless.
Incarnation Sutra? No, too unstable.
Flame Emperor Scripture? Hah… I'd burn myself alive in this condition.
He clicked his tongue in frustration.
Tch. What can I even use with broken meridians? This body is a mess. Damn it—
Then, a sudden realization struck him.
His eyes snapped open.
"Wait… didn't that old bastard Liu Feng give me something once?"
"Yes. The Duel Body Cultivation Sutra."
---
Flashes of memory lit up his mind — an ancient jade scroll, a sly grin on a friend's face.
"This technique saved me when my cultivation was crippled," he said…
A secret art created for those with shattered meridians.
It forms a second body — a replica with identical appearance, but completely new meridians and dantian. The second body becomes your cultivation vessel, while your original heals over time.
---
A rare smile crept across Gao Tian's face.
Looks like I still have cards to play…
He closed his eyes again and began circulating the Duel Body Cultivation Sutra.
---
As Gao Tian focused, strange ancient runes began forming in the air, glowing faintly around him. They drifted slowly in a circular pattern, as if orbiting his body.
From his forehead, a blue stream of spiritual light emerged, twisting like a serpent through the runes. It pulsed with heat and intensity.
His entire body began to sweat, steam rising from his skin as if he were burning from the inside out.
The air in the room trembled.
His bones ached. His skin itched. His soul felt as if it were being torn apart and reforged.
So this… is the burden of creating a second body…
Good. I'd be disappointed if it was easy.
The runes started spinning faster. The blue energy surged.
His teeth clenched as waves of pain struck him from every direction.
Then, with a final explosive effort—he roared:
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
But not a single sound escaped the thick barrier encasing the room.
The protective formation shuddered faintly but held strong.
With a final burst of energy, the light condensed beside him.
A faint silhouette began to take shape — his second body.
Same appearance. Same features. But a clean slate of meridians, untouched and perfect.
Gao Tian collapsed backward onto the bed, soaked in sweat.
He panted heavily, eyes wide with exhaustion — but triumphant.
I did it...
Now... this body can cultivate again. I will rise… stronger than ever.
Gao Clan Residence — Midnight
Gao Tian lay back on the bed, utterly drained.
Beside him stood a perfect copy of himself — his second body, glowing faintly with residual energy. It stood still, eyes closed, awaiting command.
Gao Tian turned his head toward it.
"Hey," he said calmly, "I'll take control of the second body from now on. While I'm not here, use the boy's memories and stay... comfortable around the parents."
The second body gave a slow nod, its expression blank but obedient.
Gao Tian closed his eyes.
A breath in—
A surge of thought—
A flash of light—
Then he opened his eyes again.
This time, he was in the second body.
He stood up, stretching his limbs and feeling the smooth flow of qi through his new, unbroken meridians.
Perfect. Everything works… much better than expected.
He turned to look at his original body, now lying peacefully on the bed, eyes shut.
It gave a small nod, almost on instinct, before slipping into a restful sleep.
"Alright, then. I'll take it from here," Gao Tian said softly to himself.
---
Outside the Room
He stepped toward the doorway, placing his hand lightly against the wooden frame. With a soft push, he exited the room and passed through the barrier his father had set up.
As soon as he stepped outside, a faint humming noise filled his ears.
He stopped.
His eyes narrowed slightly as he observed the glowing symbols etched faintly along the walls, ceiling, and floor. A complex energy grid.
This… is better than I expected.
He walked a bit farther and examined a node of the formation.
The precision in the rune patterns… the layering of spiritual veins… this is high-level work. I didn't think my father had this kind of formation sense.
He touched one of the glowing sigils lightly with his finger.
But… he lacks the full knowledge. This is a defensive barrier… modified to mask presence and suppress sound. Probably adapted from something incomplete.
He has talent. But without access to proper formation arts, it's wasted.
Gao Tian stood still for a moment in the hall, deep in thought.
*If I have time, I should improve this formation. It could be useful if enemies come again. And… maybe even teach him one or two things. He's my father now, after all.*
A faint smile touched his lips.
Then he turned and walked down the corridor, silent as a shadow.
Gao Clan — Midnight at the Main Gate
Gao Tian moved silently through the shadows of the residence, carefully avoiding every patrolling guard. His movements were fluid — a mix of his past-life experience and his current body's natural agility.
Soon, he arrived before the main gate of the Gao Clan.
It was massive, constructed entirely from dark ironwood, reinforced with spiritual runes. Intricate patterns were carved across its surface — protective sigils and the Gao Clan's emblem at the center.
He narrowed his eyes.
The main gate… too obvious. But climbing? Simple enough.
Without a sound, Gao Tian crouched, then leapt high into the air. His foot lightly touched a protruding wooden pattern, and he vaulted cleanly over the gate.
The night air was cool. Crickets chirped. A crescent moon hung over Wai City, casting silver light over the rooftops.
Gao Tian landed softly and scanned the area.
Where should I go?
Wait… there's a place in Gao Tian's memories. A secluded hill outside the city walls — he used to go there often to cultivate. Quiet. Hidden.
With that thought, he turned left, slipping through narrow alleys as he ran.
He passed several other clan residences — Su Clan, Chu Clan, Tian Clan — their lights dim and courtyards quiet.
Eventually, he reached the city gate.
Two guards stood before it, straight-backed and alert.
He instantly ducked into the shadows between two nearby houses.
Ah, damn it. Why are there guards now?
If they see me, I'm screwed…
He calmed his breath and peeked out.
Let me sense their cultivation…
He focused.
Foundation Establishment, 1st Layer — both of them.
Tch. I can handle them… but only with physical strength. This body hasn't cultivated a drop yet.
Silntly, Gao Tian removed the outer robe he wore and tightened his inner clothes for freedom of movement.
Then, he sprang into action.
He dashed forward at full speed.
The night wind whistled past him. The guards barely had time to react.
The left guard reached for a transmission jade, about to alert the city.
But before he could crush it—
BAM!
Gao Tian's fist connected cleanly with the guard's face, sending him crashing to the ground. The jade fell and shattered harmlessly.
The second guard unsheathed his sword and slashed toward Gao Tian.
Gao Tian ducked low, the blade cutting through the air inches above him.
The guard growled and swung again.
But Gao Tian was already moving — he stepped onto the blade mid-swing, vaulting into the air with perfect timing.
Surprise.
With a sudden twist midair, he brought both legs down like hammers onto the guard's face.
CRACK!
The second guard collapsed, groaning.
Dust settled.
Both guards were unconscious — and not a single one had seen his face.
Gao Tian exhaled, crouching down to check if they were truly out.
Good. No need to kill them.
He turned toward the gate and disappeared into the night.